Beatrix was born January 31, 1938, and when World War II reached Holland the family fled to London. Juliana, Beatrix and her sister Irene then moved to Ottawa, Canada.

Beatrix married German diplomat Claus von Amsberg on March 10, 1966, in Amsterdam. They have three sons, Willem-Alexander, born in 1967, Friso, born in 1968, and Constantijn, born in 1969.

The Dutch royal family in photos 15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Newly wed Beatrix and Prince Claus in Amsterdam on March 10, 1966. Prince Claus died aged 76 on October 6, 2002 at a hospital in Amsterdam.

Hide Caption

1 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Prince Claus holds his son Willem-Alexander in 1968.

Hide Caption

2 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Beatrix is pictured in 1979 at Drakensteyn Castle, the year before she became queen.

Hide Caption

3 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Beatrix, Friso and Mabel pose at the Palace Huis ten Bosch with the couple's new baby, countess Luana, on April 24, 2005.

Hide Caption

4 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Beatrix walks with Prince Johan Friso's wife Princess Mabel as they arrive on February 24, 2012, at the University Hospital in Innsbruck, to visit Prince Johan Friso, who was seriously injured in an avalanche while skiing.

Hide Caption

5 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Willem-Alexander (right) talks to soldiers during a visit to Gilze Rijen airbase on November 13, 2012.

Hide Caption

6 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Willem-Alexander and Maxima pose with their daughters as the Dutch royal family celebrates Christmas 2012 in Villa la Angostura, Argentina.

Hide Caption

7 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Princesses Alexia, Catharina-Amalia and Ariane pose for Christmas celebrations in 2012.

Hide Caption

8 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Willem-Alexander, Maxima, Beatrix, Alexia, Amalia and Ariane appear at the annual winter photocall on February 18, 2013 in Lech, Austria.

Hide Caption

9 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Queen Beatrix attends the 50th anniversary celebrations of the European School, Bergen on March 12, 2013.

Hide Caption

10 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Willem-Alexander, Beatrix and Maxima arrive for the 125th anniversary of the Concertgebouw concert hall and orchestra in Amsterdam on April 10, 2013.

Hide Caption

11 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – Orange cows are placed on a traffic island in Wassenaar, the hometown of Willem-Alexander and Maxima, on April 17.

Hide Caption

12 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – A crown is hung in the center of Amsterdam on April 23, 2013 ahead of Beatrix's abdication.

Hide Caption

13 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – An employee removes a portrait of Beatrix in a Rotterdam courtroom on April 26, ahead of her abdication.

Hide Caption

14 of 15

The Dutch royal family in photos15 photos

The Dutch royal family in photos – An aerial view shows Drakensteyn Castle and its 20-hectare (49 acre) grounds, where Beatrix will live after her abdication. Beatrix bought the castle in 1959 and moved in four years later, continuing to live there after marrying her husband Prince Claus in 1966.

He overcame early Dutch wariness -- in a country where the German occupation in WWII was still fresh in the national memory -- to become one of the most popular members of the Dutch royal family .

Under the Dutch Constitution the king or queen is head of state but politically neutral.

Beatrix, held weekly meetings with the prime minister and spoke regularly with high-ranking ministers and secretaries of state.

The head of state also signs all new acts of Parliament, and plays a role in the formation of new governments.

Prince Willem-Alexander, 45, was educated in Wales and Holland where he earned a history degree at Leiden University. He served in the Dutch Royal Navy from August 1985 to January 1987.

As Prince of Orange -- the title given to the person first in line to the Dutch throne ---- he has been interested in sustainability and innovation.

He has also been a member of the Dutch central bank supervisory board and regularly has represented the queen at international events.

Willem-Alexander has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1998.

He is married to Princess Máxima, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a degree in economics and has worked for HSBC and Deutsche Bank.

The couple, who met at a party, were engaged in March 2001 and they were married in February 2002.

The relationship -- like his mother's marriage -- sparked initial controversy when it emerged that Maxima's father had been a minister during the 1976-1983 Argentinean military dictatorship. He agreed to stay away from the wedding.

They have three daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane.

When Willem-Alexander becomes king, 9-year-old Catharina-Amalia will be next in line.